With 56 breweries, which range from regional breweries, to craft breweries, to microbreweries, Vermont leads the nation in breweries and beer production per capita. Some of the microbreweries have a cult-like following. Visit the Vermont Brewers Association website for information on creating your own beer tour that fits your beer preferences. Below we suggest some possible itineraries that include some of our favorite breweries. Please sip and drive responsibly!
Woodstock Area:
Long Trail Brewing. Bridgewater Corners. Located just down the road from the Farmhouse Inn and the Cabin, this brewery has a reputation for excellent lagers. We recommend the Long Trail Ale or the Summer Ale. Brewery tours available.
5520 US RTE. 4, Bridgewater Corners, VT 05035
Hill Farmstead Brewery. While the brewery is in the Northeast Kingdom (the northeast corner of the state), you can find their famous brews at Simon Pearce and Worthy Kitchen in Woodstock and at Big Fatty’s BBQ in White River Junction.
Tour 1: Burlington to Woodstock via Route 7:
Total driving time, not including stops, from BTV to Farmhouse Inn: 2 hours 25 minutes
Magic Hat Brewing Company. South Burlington. If you fly into BTV, consider a stop at Magic Hat Brewing for lunch and a pint before starting the trip south. Nova loves Magic Hat #9.
5 Bartlett Bay Rd, South Burlington, VT 05403
Otter Creek Brewing. Middlebury. A brewery known for its hoppy IPAs and smooth lagers. We recommend doing a flight here of their more experimental beers. Restaurant offers upscale pub fare. Seating area offers views of the brewing and bottling process.
793 Exchange St., Middlebury, VT 05753
Foley Brothers Brewing. Brandon. A true microbrewery specializing in IPAs, Foley Brothers Brewing serves its beers in a barn nestled at the end of a dirt road. Their selection is constantly rotating, but we recommend trying one of their famous Imperial IPAs. No food and limited seating.
79 Stone Mill Dam Rd, Brandon, VT 05733
Tour 2: Burlington to Woodstock via I-89 and Route 12:
Total driving time, not including stops, from BTV to Farmhouse Inn: 2 hours 25 minutes
Magic Hat Brewing Company. South Burlington. Start with a pint of one of Magic Hat’s craft beers.
5 Bartlett Bay Rd, South Burlington, VT 05403
Prohibition Pig. Waterbury. A brewery and a restaurant, serving delicious pub fare. One of the few places you can get the famed Heady Topper beer in the state. They also brew their own beers.
2 Elm, Waterbury Village Historic District, VT 05676 (Brewery)
Tip: Earn your beer. Prohibition Pig is not too far from Camel’s Hump. You could cap off a hike of Vermont’s iconic peak with a trip to the brewery.
Tip: For a quicker trip to Woodstock, hop back on I-89 and skip Bent Hill Brewery. If you can’t stop at Bent Hill, don’t fret. We’ll have some Bent Hill beers at the wedding.)
Bent Hill Brewery. Braintree. Owned by Nova’s former schoolmate, the brewery features sweeping vistas of the Green Mountains. We recommend the Fields of Flora, if they have it, and the Maple Red Ale.
1972 Bent Hill Rd, Braintree, VT 05060
Tour 3: Boston/NYC to Woodstock via I-9I:
Total driving time, not including stops, from BOS to Farmhouse Inn: 3 hours
You can break up your tour of these breweries with stops at the covered bridges listed on Itinerary 1 or Itinerary 2.
Harpoon Brewery. Windsor. Nestled along the Connecticut River, the regional craft brewery has a wide variety of beers on tap and a full-service restaurant, which has great burgers and sandwiches. Brewery tours available.
(If one brewery is enough, you can head right into Woodstock along scenic Route 12 – about a 30 minute drive away).
River Roost Brewery. White River Junction. Located in charming White River Junction, this microbrewery specializes in hoppy, full-flavored beers. We recommend the Mas Verde IPA. No food or seating.
230 S Main St, Hartford, VT 05001
Out of the way, but worth it:
Hill Farmstead Brewery. Greensboro Bend. A Mecca for microbrew aficionados that offers beautiful views of the mountains. Some restaurants in the Woodstock area also serve Farmstead beers (see above).